Marzia Mazzonetto
MY BACKGROUND:
Communicator and journalist by training, my experience in science engagement has developed over the past 20 years. As a science journalist in Italy, I got passionate about researching science communication dynamics, through media studies and conversation analysis. I obtained a Master in Science Communication from SISSA – International School of Advanced Studies of Trieste (Italy) and was invited researcher at the Núcleo de Estudos da Divulgação Científica in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). I was then a Researcher at the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona (Spain), where I completed a Master of Advanced Studies (DEA) in Public Communication. Since 2010 I live in Brussels. Following five years as Senior Project Manager at Ecsite, the European Network of Science Centers and Museums, I have created Stickydot, a consultancy company focused on supporting multi-stakeholder engagement in RRI processes.
WHY AM I INTERESTED IN RESPONSIBLE RESEARCH AND INNOVATION:
My passion for Responsible Research and Innovation results from having seen it “in action” several times and in various contexts and having had the opportunity to experience the incredible potential it brings about. A turning point in my professional career was an EU-funded initiative I led, called VOICES (Views, Opinions and Ideas of Citizens in Europe on Science). Seeing over 1.000 citizens all over Europe expressing their ideas about the future of waste management, and understanding on how many levels the collective intelligence emerging from this process was beneficial not only to scientific research but also to build better policies in the field, was the starting point for me of a long-lasting passion for multi-stakeholder engagement. On a personal level, it also represents a great way for me to bring my expertise in social sciences into successful participatory processes in R&I, leading to more inclusive, sustainable and societally responsible futures.
WHAT DO I HOPE TO LEARN / CONTRIBUTE AS COUNTRY CORRESPONDENT:
As SUPER MoRRI Country Correspondent I hope to make more visible to the community the strong engagement that the two countries I represent are dedicating to RRI. From citizen science to open access and inclusion in participatory processes, local funding agencies and research institutions are strongly committed to strengthening several aspects of the RRI spectrum. In my daily work, I strive to support the implementation of RRI approaches to the local territorial development (as Deputy-Coordinator of the EU-funded TRANSFORM project), focusing for example on Smart Specialization Strategies and regional Innovation Plans, to make R&I governance more connected to society. I also hope to have the opportunity to meet new professionals in the field and share my experience in RRI with SUPER MoRRI colleagues while learning from their expertise.